At the present time, the manufacture of various drugs and the availability to ordinary people has greatly promoted the illicit use of some of these drugs for unsavory purposes. For example, it is not uncommon to read in the news about women that have gone into a bar, night club, or similar establishment with friends or a date and been drugged and raped. The drugging is generally a result of someone surreptitiously introducing the drug into a woman's drink. The woman, believing she is simply drinking an alcoholic beverage, consumes part or all of the drink and becomes disoriented or unconscious, depending upon the dosage and the amount she drinks. She is then vulnerable to be taken from the premises and physically misused.
A typical drug used for such purposes is flunitrazepam, with a trade name Rohypnol®, and a street name roofies. Flunitrazepam belongs to the benzodiazepine family of medications. It is not marketed in the United States, but it is an approved medication in most other parts of the world, where it is prescribed mainly for short-term treatment of sleep disorders. Flunitrazepam is ten times more potent than Valium®. Continued use results in physical dependency. Flunitrazepam obtained for illicit use in the United States is usually purchased in Mexico and transported across the border. It is used along with alcohol to heighten the feeling of drunkenness.
When taken alone flunitrazepam is not likely to be lethal, but when mixed with alcohol it is more likely to be lethal due to the enhanced sedating effects on the central nervous system. Persons who become intoxicated from mixing flunitrazepam and alcohol may pass out and remain out for 8-24 hours. Flunitrazepam has also been reported to be used in combination with other drugs: to ease the coming down effect of a cocaine or crack high, or to enhance a heroin high. Flunitrazepam is usually swallowed as a pill or dissolved in a drink. Its use is spreading among high school and college youths. Flunitrazepam is becoming known as a club drug and has reportedly been used as a “date rape drug”.
Another major date-rape drug used in many instances is gamma hydoxybutyrate, known as GHB. As explained above, the drug is added to a drink and produces similar results.
Many women and young girls are subjected to flunitrazepam, GHB, or similar acting drugs without their knowledge or permission. This is a serious problem. Many women and especially young girls want to be socially active and join in the consumption of alcoholic beverages during parties, dates, etc. However, the danger of being drugged and physically accosted is real and places a heavy burden on the enjoyment. Some tests for the drugs are available but they generally consist of very complicated and lengthy or very obvious procedures. Most women do not want to offend their friends and/or dates by testing their drinks before consumption or prior to each taste of the drink.
It would be highly advantageous, therefore, to remedy the foregoing and other deficiencies inherent in the prior art.
Accordingly, it is an object the present invention to provide a new and improved personal illicit drug detector and method.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a personal illicit drug detector and method that is unobvious, inconspicuous and substantially unnoticeable.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved personal illicit drug detector and method that provides immediate protection without inciting displeasure or ire in friends and companions.